Ta-Nehisi Coates is the latest name to be added to the roster of keynote speakers for the 2018 South by Southwest Conference and Festival. The journalist and author joins previously announced SXSW keynoters in Academy Award-winning Barry Jenkins, psychotherapist and bestselling author Esther Perel, and technology entrepreneur and quantum computing expert whurley.

“Ta-Nehisi Coates continues to explore America’s complex history of inequality with a voice that is both powerful and passionate,” said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. “His unique perspective highlights an important aspect of SXSW–sharing new ideas to common challenges in order to drive change.”

SXSW also announced a slate of featured speakers including The Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj, entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban, CBS This Morning co-host and 60 Minutes correspondent Charlie Rose, ABC News co-anchor and author of 10% HappierDan Harris, songwriter and producer Savan Kotecha, Chief Scientist of Google Cloud Dr. Fei-Fei Li, O’Reilly Media founder Tim O’Reilly, and Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth. The list of speakers represents a diverse group of creators and storytellers building a more equitable future through entrepreneurialism, innovation, social justice, and personal narrative.